Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: April 12, 2005

Contact:  Lt. j.g. Scott Parkhurst
(409) 766-4773

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR 3 MISSING BOATERS, DOG
NEAR FREEPORT, TEXAS

GALVESTON, Texas - Coast Guard crews are continuing their search today for three boaters and a dog missing since Sunday from a capsized 28-foot pleasure craft.

Missing are:  Austin Childs, 17; Scott Keller, 41; John Zimmerman, 51; and a yellow Labrador Retriever.  All the boaters are from Houston.

Conducting the search are Coast Guard crews aboard cutters Manta and Skipjack, a Falcon rescue jet from Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, and a Coast Guard Auxiliary aircraft.

The Coast Guard crews aboard Manta and a rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Houston searched through the night.

The Coast Guard also continues to transmit broadcasts to mariners on marine channel 16 VHF-FM for vessels that may have any information on the location of the missing boaters.

A lifejacket matching the description of one aboard the vessel was located during Monday's search.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Coast Guard.

The cutters Manta and Skipjack are 87-foot patrol boats homeported in Freeport and Galveston, respectively.

If you have any questions about this case please call Lt. j.g. Scott Parkhurst at (409) 682-0871.

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